THE LIQUOR FIGHT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 166, 8 April 1919, Page 9

THE LIQUOR FIGHT

MODERATE LEAGUE MEETING

A meeting under the auspices. of tho Moderate Leagua was held in tlie Concert ' Chamber of tho Town Hall last night. The speaker was Mr. E. A. Armstrong, secretary of the league.- Mr. A; Gray, K.C., presided. . 'Sir. Gray .explained why the president Of the league (Mr. D. M. Findliiy)' was not-abb to bo present. The '■ lloderatfl League,-he said, had nothing lo do'with the'trade,'but. they stood for ••eform of the trade rather than the abolition- of it,. . ••'. ■ ■. • . . ■

Mr. Armstrong was greeted with loud upplnuso whori liq stood to-speak. Tho first statement "ho made which excited the.- audiened was, ■"'Unfortunately- prohibitionists are. not decent people." (Cries, of "No," and noise.) "They are wowsoiy," went , on Mr. Armstrong. "I believe that prohibitionists are not human; They have lost their humanity by yielding to the spirit of intolerance." -(Applause and '"''counter-demonstration. There- was much noise and. interruption at..this stage.). Mr,■ Armstrong -said, when-ho could be heard , again: "loan picture New Zealand under this slimy tiuiif, this hideous thing, 'which has come' up from the nethermost' hell of iniquity among-.us." ,/ .- --The chairman had to appeal for order. He reminded-the audience that the meeting was .Mr. Armstrong's, and that individuals in -.the audience ; ought not to monopolise-the'meeting. ■ ; •■Mr. Armstrong ridiculed*-,the efficiency plea being put up on behalf of prohibition. ■■ He said that-in truth New , Zealand was: "a- highly efficient country, inhabited.. l)y a happy -and prosperous people, and he said some hard'things against! 'the. efficiency.mongers, who, he siiidj were slanderers of our people's good naincV He went on.'with his argument, somewhat on the lines of his previous address in , Wellington.' c The.- present /poll; he; said,-. was. the result of a bargain' between the trade and the .prohibitionists, without consideration of the wishes of thn.modorates in the community.' -If prbhibitioii wore carried the business would be ended; but if continuance were, carried the prohibitionists could go on .with ."their.pestiferous campaign for.' years ."to.-.come-ramost unfair arrangement.' • :-.'l'ne■■■: Efficiency Leaguers, .he •' continued, had put: : up thousands of ■ pounds- to help the 'campaign, but ho.-suggested that tho reason "was that the drapers and.other'business people behind the league hoped to get most, of tho. money now spent in liquor. On the compensation-question'he quoted Sir Eobert Stout's-opinion against compensation, and 'declared that the' position- of the moderates was that thoy 'objected to a proposal which was not only to take away their liberties, but to make them pay for it as- well.' He diii not.accept the proposition of the Efficiency" League for the making up of the lost revenue and the interest on the compensation - payments. There must be extra taxation. On whom would the taxes fall?

; A voice: Put,it-'on the tea, coffee; and cocoaj and then the prohibitionists will have to pay., it. ( - ■:.- " ,: .-;- ■ • Mr. Arnistrohg said that the present poll-of two was unfaifc iiiid undemocratic It tiii're was a.reaL majority for prohibilion,, and not'--, a.--majority made ,up piu-tly of- people forced .into their camp becaiwe tiiey had no opportunity uf voting ior other than the two issues, prohibition would 'still be carried -by a:'l)nre- majority in November—arid ■without compensation." Also, at the later poll State ownership woul dcerfainly iKui continuance. It would then be for the people to demand a- opportunity of voting on the issues of prombition, Mali ownership; .and prohibiion by' some democratic method such as preferential voting. .If iSlnte ownership were.the Inn of tne lan dgreat ininrovemenU could be made in the methods of sale of liquof, ahii ;iiisteau- of loss of revenue --twe're wou.ld.be ii profit on the trade.'

A*.to-the eifect.of prohibition in Ainericii,. -Mr. ■ Armstronjc: said that in the "dry" States in -America; drugs, such as opium and ajcoholic patent medicines (containing-inbre alcohol than ordinary alcohol drinks) \vp.re cunsumed by the pc-opje in uij-go quantities: A business lii'iii in .-A'cw . l'ovfc had written la-'Aus-imlian, clients a letter in which reference to tlie iiruiiimt.tm law -was .-made, -iiinf-r the, siatement ■. was made that" the workers'- .iiniDiH '.were • tiirratening lo strike,: if the. law was enforced,, Iheir Slogan .-beins-."No -bffir, nowork/V, A vo;ce': They'll- liH h here if it is curried.- ..... ... - :

Mr./At'inslronK said it'would M very dillicitlt to get alcohol ior medicinal purposes, and there were nu 'proper safeguards 'for the 'supply of s'licraniental wine. He spoke of tile personal liberty ai'gnmtiit of the/league, saying- that perKbiiiil liberty-"on'the liiiuor t|iicstion was the lirst- tren'Ji lii tlie position of the personal libenibs of the people. Formerly the "wowsers," before they got cunn:ng,'used jo ask'for the prohibition of racing,' boxing, and other things. Here, in Wellington "a wowser council led by a wowser Mayor"—(loud applause)—hail tried to stop .Sunday golf and 1-ad spent the ratepayers' money in taking a , case into the Appeal Court on' the question. Mr. Armstrong accused Sir .Tames Allen of having used hii position as ActingPrime Minister to boost , dhe cause of prohibition, which he had always supporied. '

A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Armstrong !>y loud acclamation with chsers. .